The present invention relates in general to prefabricated fireplaces and more particularly to the installation of a prefabricated fireplace.
Prefabricated fireplaces have heretofore been installed on a house foundation. In order to do so, temporary braces were employed to hold the prefabricated fireplace in position until the prefabricated fireplace was completely installed and erected. The use of such temporary braces resulted in their being dislodged by construction equipment. Additionally, this arrangement had lent itself to bolt pull-outs. As a consequence thereof, there were occasions in which prefabricated fireplaces would fall over when the braces were so dislodged.
Prefabricated or precast fireplaces have been well-known in the art. In the patent to William C. Southern et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,466,000, issued on Sept. 9, 1969, there is disclosed apparatus and method for forming a prefabricated or a precast fireplace. In the patent to Hendricks, U.S. Pat. No. 3,301,249, issued on Jan. 31, 1967, there is disclosed a precast fireplace, method of manufacture and erection. The precast fireplace disclosed by the patent to Hendricks rests the ledge thereof on a shoring which in the disclosed installation is the foundation of a house. An adjustable shoring brace is employed. The threaded end of the adjustable shoring brace is received by an internally threaded hole in the precast fireplace. The other end of the shoring brace is fixed to the house foundation.
The patent to Tidwell, U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,225, issued on Mar. 20, 1973, discloses a factory fabricated fireplace. A cement fireplace pad or footing is provided for the installation of the prefabricated fireplace. The prefabricated fireplace is disposed on the concrete pad or footing. Reinforcing rods are anchored at their lower ends in the concrete footing and project upwardly into the prefabricated fireplace for reinforcing the fireplace structure after it is assembled.
In the patent to Thulman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,821,975, issued on Feb. 4, 1958, there is disclosed a fireplace construction installed on a steel base plate. The fireplace is supported on the base plate, which may be a sheet of steel. Supporting legs may be spot welded to the bottom surface of the base plate to support the weight of the fireplace.
Other patents of interest are:
May, U.S. Pat. No. 611,179
Bender, U.S. Pat. No. 820,173
Migues et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,909
The last-mentioned patents show fireplaces disposed upon their own foundations.